


Just Beyond the Light

by Sarah Problem (SarahProblem)



Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: First Time, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 05:25:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10181624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarahProblem/pseuds/Sarah%20Problem
Summary: Following a suspect can keep a detective thinking on his feet. And some of those creative moments just shouldn't be wasted.





	

** Just Beyond the Light **

by ** Sarah Problem **

Holding the cigarette sideways, just inches from his face, the broadly built, dark-haired man watched as the lit end of the cigarette glowed like a furnace in the darkness. He shifted slightly, relaxing as he leaned his back against the alley wall, pulling one foot up against it as well.

Smiling to himself he brought the filter to his mouth and pulled in the stinging smoke. He watched the tip glow brighter for a moment then carefully exhaled while trying to create smoke rings he couldn't see. He had never been able to do that properly, not like his uncle anyway, but he figured now was as good a time to practice as any.

Dave Starsky had quit the habit too many years ago to want to get hooked again, but he did indulge once in a great while. Sometimes it fit his undercover personality and reminded him of his teen years, when he fancied himself a very, _very_ dangerous man. Looking back on those years with an adult's eye-view, he could only chuckle at how self-deluded he had been. Sure, he and his 'gang' had gotten into trouble, had their share of close calls and their run-ins with the cops, but bitter experience had shown him that they'd done nothing so terrible that it couldn't be categorized as 'kid stuff'. Not when compared to the kids now a days. So, for the moment, he was enjoying the little bit of nostalgia.

Unfortunately, tonight's indulgence wasn't part of any bad-guy persona, but simple a way to kill some time. The boring job of covering the back entrance of the disco had fallen to him with an unlucky coin toss. The alley he now guarded was behind a large building, and Starsky could feel the beat of the music thrum its way through the brick. It was fairly long as alleyways went, but not frequently used, as it only led to a side street. The street light at one end and the weak light over the back exit didn't extend very far. He had situated himself in the middle, in the darkest part of the alley, and pretended to be out for a bit of fresh, night air and a smoke.

He gave the cigarette one last drag as it burned to filter, then tossed it away into the darkness. _It should be about time to call it a day,_ he thought, wondering if he should check his watch once again. He decided not to, fearing the glowing numbers would only tell him it had been mere minutes since the last time he had checked.

He fingered the cellophane package, knowing he only had one cigarette left. He had copped it from the one of the Vice cops as they had taken turns following their suspect, so hadn't had a full pack to start with.

_ What a way to spend an evening off. _ He sighed to himself, rolling the last cigarette between his fingers. _Some duty. Boring as hell. Just because Vice needed extra bodies to tail one of their suspects we've got to come in on our first day off in ages._

His attention was suddenly drawn to the sudden opening of the back door. Two people stepped out, letting metal door slam behind them. While not turning his head their way, he watched them out of the corner of his eye. One was a smallish female and the other, although the correct height, was definitely not the suspect. He kept his eyes down as they walked toward him, arms wrapped around each other, laughing and talking.

When the man finally spotted him in the darkness, Starsky could almost feel him bristle. He watched as the young lady was pulled a fraction closer to her partner. Starsky lit his last cigarette then, letting the man see his face in the small light of the flame, eyes down as they came upon him. He was on a break and of no danger to the couple, or so his body language told them. They walked past, down the alley and around a corner, not bothering to give Starsky a second look.

He shifted then, feeling restless, frustrated and as horny as hell. It had been a long time between ladies. He had been looking forward to hitting the disco's himself tonight, hoping to work out his frustrations on the dance floor. And if he had been lucky, morning would have found him in a lovely lady's bed. As it was, everything would be closed soon, he'd end up sleeping most of the day to catch up. It looked like he would have to live with his frustrations for one more night.

At least he wasn't the only one in that situation. He could hardly remember the last time Hutch had talked about being with a woman. They both seemed to have hit a dry spell.

_ I bet he's probably even more frustrated than I am at the moment. _ Starsky smiled at the thought. The tall blond was inside even now, keeping an eye on the suspect, while more cops waited out front. No matter how pretty his dancing partner, Hutch didn't have much hope of finishing the evening with them. _He's probably ready to climb the walls at this point. The best looking chicks in the world could be crawling all over him right now, and he'd have to be ready to leave them behind without a second's notice._

It had been that way all night, with him, Hutch and two other detectives taking turns following the suspect inside while the others covered the exits. Bittner only had stayed less than an hour at each one, so when Starsky had been the one to watch him from the inside, he'd had barely gotten going on the dance floor when Bittner had left for the next location.

His musings were interrupted when the beat at his back suddenly quit. Just as he was about to recheck his watch, the door opened again. He smiled as he recognized the tall, slim form of his partner.

_ Bet he had a lot of dance partners, lookin' like that _ . He studied Hutch as he walked toward him. _If those tight jeans and white shirt didn't get him swamped with offers, I don't know what would._

Hutch was under the overhead light for only a fraction of a second, but Starsky had learned to watch for it, memorize it, and replay it later in his mind's eye when he was alone. Hutch was, and had always been, the most gorgeous man Starsky had ever seen. He had never been blind to it, no matter how hard he had to pretend to be. But lately, it was becoming harder and harder to keep his eyes to himself. He had actually been rolling the idea around his head of actually making a pass at his partner one of these days. He was a bit afraid that Hutch was going to catch on to the fact that Starsky's interest was a bit more than platonic at times. But so far, he hadn't had the nerve to bring his increasing interest out in the open, one way or the other.

Hutch found Starsky easily in the dark and came to stand in front of him, leaning in close as he propped on shoulder against the wall. Starsky thought his eyes looked tired, and he seemed a bit strained.

"Got another?" Hutch nodded toward the cigarette Starsky held.

"Nope. All out." Starsky handed it over. "I take it we're off duty now?"

Hutch took a couple of puffs to finish it off and tossed the butt into the darkness. "As soon as they lock up this door, we can leave. Bittner left by the front door a few minutes ago. Susan had just had time to let me know that the next shift was outside and waiting, so they should have him well covered by now. I think we should give it a minute to make sure."

The exit was banged opened then, and a small crowd of loud and laughing customers spilled into the alley. Starsky watched them covertly as they made their way past the two detectives. Any minute now the door should be locked and they could leave.

"Looked like an interesting crowd, from what I've seen," Starsky remarked, trying to keep the conversation going. "I thought for sure there we were going to disco-hop all night. The man must think he's being followed, as many clubs as he's visited tonight. I was surprised he stayed in this one as long as he did. Nice place?"

Hutch shrugged tiredly. "It's a mixed club. Apparently Bittner likes to play on both sides of the fence."

"AC-DC?" Starsky leaned closer, curious. "What makes you so sure it just wasn't the price of the booze?"

Hutch's chuckled slightly and shook his head. "Well, let's just say that he prefers blondes. Of all genders."

Starsky felt his eyebrows rising at the remark, and laughed quietly. "No kidding? What did he do? Follow you around the disco? Buy you a drink? Ask you to dance?"

"Not quite. I was trying to keep an eye on him from the dance floor when I noticed he kept watching me. At first I thought he'd caught me watching _him_ , so when I saw that Susan had a clear view of him I went to the john. Wanted to keep myself out of his sight for a while."

"And he followed you in." Starsky grinned as he got the picture. "Tried to leave some fingerprints, did he?"

"The man is _not_ subtle." Hutch shook his head and sighed tiredly. "If he'd been any more obvious he would have tried holdin' it for me at the urinal. As it was, I brushed him off, politely, and headed back out to the dance floor with the first lady that accepted my invitation."

"Now _there_ was the perfect opportunity for you to get in on the suspect's good side, yet you let it pass you by." He wiggled his eyebrows at Hutch, and was pleased to see a small smile once again. "I can't believe you, a _professional_ cop, would have let such a golden opportunity go unused."

"Hey, I'm not _that_ easy!" Hutch insisted with mock indignation. "Now, maybe if he'd bought me a drink first--"

He was cut off by the loud voice that filled the alley as the door swung open once again.

"-- told you I'm locking this door up! Go out the front next time!"

"So I'm gone already!" A small man responded as he strode purposefully into the alley.

Starsky didn't need Hutch's jab in his ribs to see that Bittner had apparently slipped back in the club and had doubled back to the rear exit.

_ Looks like we're still on duty. Where the hell is Vice? How did they let him slip by? _

Bittner moved by them quickly, but Starsky saw the double-take he gave Hutch as he passed.

_ And still interested, I see. Guess that means ol' blondie here isn't going to get to tail his ass anymore, since he's going to be recognized right off. If Vice doesn't get this guy cornered soon, they're gonna run out of new faces to do their foot work for them. _

Their suspect continued striding toward the street, so he and Hutch moved to follow at a casual pace.

"What's down that street?" Hutch asked in a low, urgent whisper. "Enough cover to keep up with him?"

"Hell no." Starsky had already scouted out that area. "It's just flat brick walls on both sides of the street. A street light every once in a while, with not even a garbage can to hide behind. We let him get to another street corner without a tail and he's gonna slip away."

"Think they know he's back here?"

"Depends on how he slipped away. In one cab door and out the other? Lots of people leaving right before closing time, lots of cabs pulling out. No telling how long it'll them to catch up."

"What'll we do? If we can't follow him without being obvious--"

"So, we keep him here until we're sure they've picked up his trail again."

"Any ideas on how we do that?"

As they neared the end of the alley both detectives had instinctively slowed their pace. Starsky was worried the man would spook easily if they got too close.

Bittner didn't move out onto the side walk, but stopped at the end of the buildings and peeked around the corner. He checked his watch quickly and turned to lean back against a building, his eyes on the street.

_ Watching for a tail? _ Starsky wondered. _Or is this where his contact is going to pick him up? No way to tell 'til he moves, I guess._

Even though the two detectives had slowed down as much as they could without looking suspicious, they were rapidly running out of maneuvering room. If they walked passed Bittner, it would look strange if they just stood on the sidewalk and talked. Even if they tried to make it look like they were waiting for a ride, it might spook the man. If they walked around to the front of the building, to try to signal the second shift, Bittner could disappear, and they'd have no idea which direction to search. They could split up, but then one man alone could lose him just as easy as two.

Starsky moved into action even as a solution flashed through his mind.

Stopping just outside the limit of the street lamp, he turned toward Hutch and grabbed his shoulders, pulling the taller man around to face him. Smiling at the questioning look on Hutch's face, he pushed him firmly backwards until his back was against the brick of the alley wall.

"What--?"

The question stopped abruptly as Starsky moved forward, leaning seductively against Hutch's body. Burying his nose in the crook of his partner's neck, hands moving around to cup the curve of Hutch's ass, Starsky chuckled a little as he gave the round rump a slight squeeze.

"You bastard!" Hutch breathed in his ear, sounding more amused than actually surprised. Starsky felt Hutch's arms come around him, pulling him in closer. "What would your mother say?"

"Don't know. Haven't told her yet." Closing his eyes, he nuzzled the soft, blond hair that he could feel framing his face. Hutch smelled good, with just enough leftover smoke from the bar and sweat from the dance floor to add a little spice to the usual soap and water. But more importantly he smelled like _Hutch_ , which through the years had come to mean comfort, safely and belonging. No matter how hurt he was, how out of it, Starsky had learned to hold on to nothing else but the smell of his partner's nearness when there was no other anchor to hold on to. He took a deep breath, thoroughly enjoying the hard, lean body he was pressing against. "But I'm wondering what Bittner is thinking. Is it working?"

Time slowed deliciously as he could feel Hutch's large, strong hands start to rub at his back.

"I think we have his complete attention." Starsky could hear the humor in Hutch's voice. "Takes one degenerate to know what'll keep another's attention, I guess."

"Hey, it's more fun than trying to find some reason to stand out on that street looking lost." Moving in even closer, Starsky shifted just enough to position his now interested crotch to Hutch's left hip, practically straddling his leg. He made sure to move his own hip against his partner's now defenseless crotch, knowing he was being completely evil in doing so. Starsky's own jeans were so tight that he could feel the swell of Hutch's large mound beneath him in intimate detail. "We give him somethin' he wants to see, then he'll be here when the other shift catches up." Starsky dug his fingers into the well-padded ass and waited for the reaction.

Hutch gasped slightly. The strong hands on Starsky's back were suddenly in his hair, tugging at two fistfuls of it just hard enough to pull his head up from Hutch's shoulder. Trying to look innocent, he held his breath, wondering how much trouble he was going to be in when this was all over.

Even in the dim light Starsky could see the fair features had colored more than just slightly. Prone to flushing easily in the early years of their acquaintance, Hutch had grown tougher since then and Starsky rarely caught sight of it now. He tried not to panic as he met the blue eyes so close to his, sighing slightly as he recognized the amusement that glittered back at him.

"You better watch it, little boy," Hutch muttered deeply, as he brought them nose to nose, tightening his grip on Starsky's hair. "This could be the one undercover act that gets you in _way_ over your head." Full lips turned up at the corners and Starsky watched in fascination as the red tinge got a fraction deeper.

Heart picking up speed, Starsky relaxed then, feeling the evil imp in him begging to take over. Keeping his eyes fixed on Hutch's, he refused to back off. Smiling wickedly, he knew that there wasn't any way to keep Hutch from feeling his growing hardness or his racing heart. Rubbing fingers slowly across Hutch's ass, he could feel an answering pulse in the larger man's cock.

"I _ain't_ your boy," Starsky responded with a leer, making no bones about his enjoyment of their unaccustomed proximity. "That is," he murmured as seductively as he could manage, "unless you can meet _my_ price. I ain't cheap _either_."

Hutch suddenly released his grip on Starsky's hair. He felt a bit surprised as Hutch's hands move down his back and two thumbs hooked inside his waistband. He could feel fingertips press into his ass.

"And what price _would_ such an over-the-hill hustler charge for his service?"

"Over the...!" Starsky snorted at the insult, relaxing his embrace and trying to push away. Hutch's hold tightened, keeping him in place, so he settled for his best indignant look. "Well, excuuuusse _me_ , Mr. You-ain't-that-much-younger-you-can-talk! I'll have you know that I'm at the _prime_ of my sexual being right at this very moment!"

" _This_ is the _prime_ of your 'sexual being'?" Hutch broke into snickers, and Starsky tried hard not to show how he enjoyed watching the amusement play over his partner's features. "Oh, you poor soul! You're a lot worse off than I thought you were!"

"Think so, huh? Well, you're not foolin' me, farm boy. I know you're just jealous of my natural and devastating sexual magnetism. And I'll have you know that I happen to be one _very_ expensive piece of ass. I, sir, am a hustler of the first order!"

Hutch carefully, but obviously, restrained any more chuckles on his part. "Oh, is that so? Well, you've obviously got our suspect going, I'll say that for you."

Starsky felt his own face grow even warmer, having forgotten for a split-second that they were being watched. "Yeah? Why? What's he doin'?"

Hutch leaned forward, putting his mouth next to his ear. He tried to hide his gasp as warm lips almost caressed as they whispered. "He's rubbing himself now, while trying to watch us _and_ the street."

Starsky had to swallow then around the growing lump in his throat. "N-no kidding?" He almost winced at how strangled he sounded.

"No kidding."

As Hutch pulled back, Starsky could have sworn that the brush of fair skin against his temple and cheek was done on purpose. He fought a sudden impulse to grab Hutch's head in both hands and kiss him with deadly sincerity.

_ What the hell am I doing? _ __ He thought in dismay, torn with the desire to make this more than play acting. _How many times have we played fast and loose with each other, flirting like we were serious? Yet how many times did it feel_ ** _this_** _good?_ Looking up into Hutch's eyes once again, he saw amusement and something else that seemed to be encouragement.

Taking a breath, he decided that he would push until Hutch made it clear just _where_ the lines were going to be drawn.

"So?" he continued, hoping that Hutch didn't notice how nervous he was feeling. "Don'cha wanna know?

"About what?"

"About what I charge! You think you're so hot you rate a freebee or somethin'?"

"Well, now," Hutch said, brows furrowed. "I _am_ hurt! Who said I ever had to pay--"

"If your friend can't tell you the truth, who can?" Starsky interjected with a wicked smile. "Aren't you gonna ask me about my price list?"

Hutch studied his face then, and Starsky could see a bit of confusion there now as well. "You certainly _are_ hot-to-trot tonight, aren't you? Maybe you ought to think about paying _me_ just to take the edge off enough to settle you down. Either that, or we seriously need to think about getting you neutered."

"Hey! _I'm_ the gigolo in _this_ scenario, buddy. You just stick to playin' the john and let me get on with my business," he admonished with more than a bit of real frustration. Starsky could practically feel the blood pooling in Hutch's groin as they talked, making the taller man's cock hard and firm against his thigh. It was all he could do not to reach down and start rubbing it. He held back, still uncertain as to how far he'd be allowed to go. He only pressed his thigh a touch harder against the mound, leaning his own strangling hard on against Hutch's thigh a bit more. "So, you ever gonna ask me, or what?"

"Damnit, Starsky," Hutch said a bit sadly, looking at him with mild confusion and frustration. "This isn't exactly going to leave us in any decent shape to follow Bittner if he decides to take off, you know. I'm going to be in pain here pretty soon. This isn't exactly playing fair."

"Who said I wasn't playin' fair?" Starsky looked up into Hutch's eyes and realized that now was the time to be truthful. He took a breath, lowered his head once again to Hutch's neck and decided to go for broke. "We're off duty as soon as Bittner gets picked up by the second Vice shift, right? With nowhere we haft'a be tomorrow? I figured we could go to my place and finish this game."

He felt the instant reaction in Hutch's body, as the man stiffened almost imperceptibly. While concerned that he'd gone way too far with this, Starsky didn't really fear a negative answer. He knew Hutch loved him enough to forgive such a mistake. But it took almost a dozen heartbeats before Hutch took a deep breath, and Starsky followed with one of his own.

_ He's decided. Now I'll know where the lines are. _

In answer, Hutch's hands moved farther down his ass, gripping almost savagely where they had just play acted before. Even as Starsky took in that fact, Hutch's mouth came down to the crook of his neck. Warm, soft lips touched him lightly, moving carefully back and forth only a fraction of an inch. It was enough to make his cock jerk in response, filling up what little space he had left in the front of his jeans.

And just as suddenly Hutch seemed to pull back, making the moment seem as if it hadn't existed.

"Looks like his ride is here," Hutch whispered harshly, all business. He had moved his hands to Starsky's shoulder. "Get ready to move."

Damning his now painful cock, Starsky threw the last few minutes to the back of his mind, needing to be all business for what was to come.

The two stood then, together, but almost separated compared to what had gone on a moment before. Starsky watch Hutch's face as he watched Bittner from under his lashes.

"He spotted something on the street, and he's moving toward the sidewalk."

From his position, Starsky could hear Bittner's retreating footsteps, and he pulled back a bit more. They were going to have to move any second now. _Damn my timing anyway,_ Starsky thought. _Never did get a real answer._

A second later, a car drew up to the light pole, and it took Bittner only half a second to sprint across the small bit of sidewalk to the passenger door. The car was moving before the two of them could get to the corner. Starsky went low to peer around the building while Hutch took the high spot.

"You got it?" Hutch asked breathlessly. "I got all but the last digit."

"Yeah, I got it all." Starsky stood up, then put a hand on Hutch's mid-riff, as he heard another car come up behind the first. They held their place until the second car came even with them, and in the street light Starsky could see it was the second shift for Vice, hot on Bittner's trail.

Starsky sighed gustily, hearing the echo of it from his partner. "Guess that means we're officially off duty, and not a damn minute too soon."

"So, let's get back to our car and make sure, so we can get the hell out of here."

The car the two detectives had used was a sorry-looking, second hand station wagon that made Starsky feel absolutely ridiculous. The only saving grace was that it had a better motor than it looked like it should have. He got behind the wheel and had turned into traffic while Hutch dug the police radio out of the glove box, confirming that Vice was on their suspect's tail, and that the two could call it a day.

Starsky listened with only half an ear to the exchange. _Damn it! One more minute. Just time enough for a definite 'yes' or 'no' from him and I wouldn't be feeling like such an ass. What do I say, now that the mood's been broken?_

He was at a loss as to Hutch's real thoughts on the subject, and was now afraid that it had all just been one of 'those' games to him. It wasn't like they hadn't groped a bit before, or hadn't outright flirted with each other. But this was the first time Starsky had been deadly serious about taking it that one step further. He wracked his brain for the right opening remark when Hutch cleared his throat noisily.

"So, who's apartment?" Hutch began, voice sounding a little uncertain and rough. "And you never did tell me what your going rate was. How do I know I can afford you?"

Starsky felt his growing smile threaten to split his face. Glancing at Hutch, he saw that he was being watched carefully, an uncertain smile playing across the blond's face.

"Well, I don't know." Starsky tried to keep his voice casual as he turned the station wagon back to Metro. "I may have to up my fee 'cause of that 'old' remark. That's gonna cost you, Blintz. And as for apartments, well yours is the closest to the station. I might give you some leeway on the price if we get to use your place."

"Done." Hutch's answer had been immediate, and Starsky felt heady with the knowledge that he had the answer he wanted. "Now, if you're going to charge me for this, maybe I should make sure you're worth it."

It took every bit of Starsky's forced concentration to keep his mind on the road as he felt Hutch move on the bench seat until both men were hip to hip. He almost jolted out of his skin when he felt a large, warm hand grip his thigh tightly.

"Damn!" It was out of Starsky's mouth before he'd even realized it. He laughed then, patting the hand as it started to leave its new location. He gave the fingers a friendly squeeze. "Leave it there," he ordered good naturedly, not wanting Hutch to mistake his exclamation for rejection. "You make any more of those moves, partner, and I'm going to drive us right into a phone pole!"

Hutch chuckled then, leaning back, but leaving his hand in place. "Sorry about that. And here I thought you were a seasoned hustler. You didn't tell me this was your first time."

The remark had been said in jest, but Starsky could hear that there was a real question hidden behind it. He could tell that Hutch was trying to find out how experienced he was with having sex with men.

"Yeah, well..." Starsky paused then, trying to work his words around in the correct order. "Let's just say that I didn't hit my twenties a complete virgin." He could feel Hutch's eyes upon him now. "Well, mostly a virgin, but not a complete one. Where I hung around, it wasn't healthy to get caught messin' around with another guy. You had to really trust a guy to do much more than grope and jerk each other off, you know? I didn't trust anyone much more than that. And you?"

Starsky glanced over and saw Hutch shrug, could feel the movement against his shoulder. "Some in college. Small stuff here and there. I experimented a bit, but nothing too serious."

They sat in companionable silence, close to each other, until they came upon Metro's district. Hutch moved away from him then, removing the hand from his thigh. Starsky knew they had to watch what they did while anywhere near Metro. He approved of the action and was relieved to find his partner on the same wavelength.

They finally arrived at the station, and turned the car in quickly. After the paperwork was signed and keys turned over, Starsky found himself walking briskly to the Torino, almost afraid to look behind him. If Hutch wasn't following him to his car, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But even as he reached his door, Hutch arrived at the passenger side.

Getting to Venice Place seemed to take forever. Starsky tried to concentrate on his driving, not knowing what else to say, his cock feeling perpetually hard and achy. He was half afraid that whatever happened between them, it would be over _way_ too fast. The glimpses he was able to catch of Hutch, in the seat next to him, made him think that the blond was simmering on high, too.

It was when they were just a few miles away from the apartment when he heard Hutch clear his throat again. "You'd better let me go up first, just so it doesn't look... well..."

"Sure. Whatever." Starsky had agreed instantly, understanding his partner's nervousness. Feeling as if he was going to jump out of his skin at any second, he decided to try joking them down out of it a bit. "Surf and turf," he announced gravely. "Champagne. Candle light."

"What?"

"My fee. Hey, you gotta know what you're getting' into here."

"Oh." Hutch chuckled nervously then. "Well, let's not have it said that I don't appreciate real expertise when it comes to the bedroom. How about some chicken flavored tofu, a fish stick, and what's left in the wine bottle in the ice box?"

"Are you nuts?" Starsky tried to scowl around his smile. "I cooked those fish sticks, four days ago. I don't have a death wish, you know."

Hutch laughed, then sighed tiredly. "After the week we've had, I'm pretty sure that's all I've got in stock. We haven't exactly had time to breathe, let alone shop." Hutch scooted over closer to him until they were once again shoulder to shoulder. "How about an all-you-can-eat breakfast at the diner down the street, soon as we wake up?"

The thought of waking up with Hutch, in the same bed and after a night of making love made chills run up and down Starsky's spine. His cock, having just settled down to 'comfortable' stirred once again, and Starsky breathed a sigh of relief as Venice Place came into view. "Good enough for me!"

Pulling into a spot close to Hutch's front door, Starsky hadn't even put the car in park before Hutch was out and through the street door to his apartment.

_ What the hell did I start? _ Starsky wondered in amazement, sitting in the driver's seat and feeling a nervous sweat break out. _Maybe we should have talked about this. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe this is a mistake and we'll regret it tomorrow_. He looked down at his hands, knuckles white with his grip on the wheel, feeling his cock throb relentlessly behind his fly.

_ And maybe... maybe tomorrow will never come _ . It scared him, the thought that some things might be left too late between him and Hutch. The uncertainty of their tomorrows was the price of their jobs, and the way they insisted on working. _To_ ** _hell_** _with this_ , he decided savagely. _Mistake or not, I'm not going to live my life regretting things I did, only the things I didn't do_. And with that thought in mind, he opened the Torino's door.

***

Hutch had been so nervous that he almost dropped his apartment key twice before he could get the lock undone. He was afraid that if he hadn't been successful, he would have had to break his own door down.

_ C'mon Starsk! _ __ He felt full of lust and excitement, not a small part of fear in the mix. _Get your ass up here before I have a stroke!_

He couldn't believe what he and Starsky had done in that alleyway. They'd teased and flirted a hundred times a day, when they weren't arguing, and never once had Hutch taken his partner seriously. Starsky was a flirt, but he had never done anything that led Hutch think it was anything but playing between them. There in the alley, Hutch had wondered from the first moment Starsky had pressed up against him if he was seriously about his bedroom talk. Starsky's hardness had been unmistakable, and it's presence had started him up the same path. But knowing Starsky was on a slow simmer, with the act that they were playing, didn't guarantee his intentions were anything but to play out the scene.

But when Starsky had offered to take it home with them, Hutch thought he'd practically start having sex right there and then. It had been a miracle on his part that his mind had been clear enough those few second after Starsky's offer that Hutch even remembered that Bittner was there.

And now, here they were, at his apartment, having survived the trip here without him actually jumping Starsky's bones on the way. Now that he was finally here, with Starsky on the way up, he didn't know what to do.

_ Lights _ , he decided, realizing he was standing in the dark and nearly shaking with anticipation. He left the door open behind him and moved to turn on the corner lamp, ears alert for Starsky's arrival. At the twist of a knob, the room was filled with a soft, white light that only reached as far as the entrance to his bedroom. It was then that he moved toward the desk lamp, hearing the street door bang shut and heavy step moving quickly up the stairs. He was leaning over to turn on the second light when Starsky bound into the room.

Starsky stood frozen, two steps in the door way, as Hutch stood still by the desk. He gazed at Starsky, feeling as if he were looking at him for the first time, even as he felt Starsky's eyes on him.

_ Beautiful! _ Hutch thought in amazement, finally having permission to look his fill.

In the glow of the single lamp, Starsky's head of chocolate curls looked almost black. His brows were like ebony slashes above eyes that were as deep a blue as Hutch had ever seen, in a face that was strong, masculine and sensual. He was well built, and Hutch had seen a thousand instances of how strong he was. Broad shoulder led to well-muscled chest and arms, narrow waist framed by strong forearms and slender, graceful hands which hung at his side. The skin tight jeans that were his partner's favorite attire seemed bursting with generous ass and genitals, all supported by thick, muscular thighs.

Hutch had always known his partner was an attractive person who drew both men and women's interest. Now he could let his eyes linger on those tell-tale bulges of maleness that were such a vital part of David Starsky, not needing to settle with quick glimpses, stolen at add moments.

_ Gorgeous! A _ __ **_ much _ ** __ _ better word, yet even that doesn't do him justice. _

Starsky , in his turn, seemed to drink Hutch in like a drowning man. He could only watch as Starsky reached slowly behind him to grab the door knob, pushing it shut behind him. Taking a couple of steps back, without taking his eyes off of Hutch, Starsky backed up far enough so that he could lock the door.

The click of the lock seemed to trigger something in Hutch, as if this whole episode had been some sort of fantasy on his part. This was going to be real. And undeniable.

_ Can this really be happening? _ A touch of fear ran through him, the thought of what the light of day might find. _What if we're making a mistake, and we end up mad and embarrassed? If it's right to take this step, why didn't we do so before? Maybe there's a_ ** _reason_** _it's never happened before. Maybe this is where we lose what_ ** _we_** _are._

Hutch felt the fear spread to his limbs, keeping him rooted in place. One part of him knew that this couldn't be wrong, and that if it was a mistake it would be forgiven. But a bigger part was too uncertain to want to chance it. He saw Starsky's questioning look, and the dawning of understanding on the compassionate features when Hutch could only look back mutely, showing Starsky his sudden uncertainty.

Then, Hutch watched in amazement as Starsky's face turned from understanding and empathy to serious purpose. Taking his steps slowly, Starsky moved toward him, and Hutch found his gaze riveted on Starsky's eyes. In them, as he came closer and closer, Hutch watched purpose turned to desire, the coloring of lust deepening on his cheeks and his eyes turning the color of a thunder storm.

Starsky stepped carefully into Hutch's space, moving in until he could wrap strong arms around Hutch and pull him close. Standing nose to nose, Hutch could feel warm breath on his face, the hot strength of his arms around him and felt the fear start to drain from him, leaving only the love and desire. Looking into his eyes, Hutch felt his body relax into the embrace, knowing that whatever it took, mistake or not, Starsky wanted him. For now, that was enough.

He lowered his head, thinking only of the man he was enfolding in his arms, the man he was about to kiss. This he had never done with a man, and he wondered fleetingly what it would be like.

They met half-way, the first touch like a jolt of electricity. Lips touching lightly at first, then Hutch pressed harder as he became accustomed to the sweet sensation. They rubbed and pressed at each other until Hutch dared to change his focus, tracing the stubbled edge of Starsky's lips carefully with his tongue. He could feel Starsky tremble then, and suddenly hands were in his hair, gripping tightly as Starsky opened up to him and sucked his tongue into his mouth. This time, there was no shock. He realized that Starsky tasted familiar, warm, and sweet, like sex with your true love on a cool summer evening. His unique scent overrode the other flavors Hutch found as he explored the willing mouth, and he felt as if he could drown in such pleasure.

The moment seemed to go on forever until the hands in his hair pulled him away, breaking their connection. He groaned in protest, but the separation last only a heartbeat, as Starsky's mouth descended once more upon his, and he became the one inspected.

Unused to being with someone so forceful, Hutch gave a token battle with his tongue before he sucked Starsky in. It was a heady feeling, to be the center of such focus and attention. He knew then why he had never allowed any of the men he had experimented with to kiss him. There was no other man in the world that he would allowed to taste of him in this fashion. His experimenting had been cold and clinical compared to the passion pouring into him from Starsky's very being.

As Starsky plundered him, like he himself had plundered, Hutch became more aware of the way their bodies were reacting. Cursing his taller height, Hutch could nevertheless feel the heat and press of Starsky's crotch slightly lower than his own. His own cock was full and painful in the tight jeans, and he pressed himself against Starsky. As wonderful as the kisses were, they were suddenly no longer enough.

Grabbing Starsky's shoulders forcefully, Hutch pulled him away, seeing the question behind the passion in the smoky, penetrating eyes.

It only took a tug toward the bedroom to see the understanding and agreement given in return.

They moved out of the dim light and into the darkness of the bedroom. Hutch wondered for a second if he should turn on another lamp, but soon realized that it wouldn't be needed. They were suddenly on the bed together, mouths having found each other once again, rolling in a tangle of limbs and clothing. It was all Hutch could do then to remember to breathe between the frantic actions of mouths and hands as he searched his partner frantically for bare flesh, needing to touch as much as he possibly could.

Starsky's mouth suddenly disappeared from his after untold minutes had passed in their fumbling, leaving his swollen lips wet and cold in the night air. They were on their sides now, and before Hutch had time to wonder what was coming next, he felt fingers fumbling at the buttons on his shirt. Hutch pulled his shirt tails loose from his jeans and brushed Starsky's hands away, not willing to wait for his partner to feel his way in the dark. As soon as he did so, he felt Starsky shift as he too began a frantic disrobement.

Hutch felt as if his heart would explode with his excitement, his fingers trembling at their task. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt so frantic for someone, and by the sounds of his breathing, Starsky was in the same state. Hutch heard himself groan as he heard Starsky's zipper seconds before he had gotten to his own. His cock, filling almost painfully in the sudden freedom, pulsed strongly as it rose and hardened. Ignoring his own erection, Hutch dumped the wad of jeans, socks and shoes onto the floor and turned his attention to the body writhing beside him in the dim light.

Hutch's eyes had adjusted now, and he could now see his partner as he wrestled frantically with his own jeans. What little light found its way into the bedroom area seemed to reflect off of the angles and planes of the man, making him seem hard and abstract. Hutch thought that if it had been any other male in his bed, he might have felt wary or threatened by the sight, but there could be no uncertainty in himself that could take Starsky as any kind of threat. Instead, he found the sight of the very masculine man next to him more erotic than he'd thought possible.

"Shit!"

Hutch laughed in exasperation at the exclamation, realizing that while he'd been watching, Starsky had gotten his jeans stuck over his shoes.

"Idiot." Hutch said fondly, grabbing Starsky's feet and turning him sideways in the bed. He found the shoe on one foot and quickly unlaced it and pulling it off. He repeated the action and soon shoes, jeans and underwear were thrown to join his on the floor.

A second later he found himself tackled, pushed to his back as a large, warm, furry body was laid on top of his. He grunted as the weight settled on him, his body humming like an electrical field as each centimeter of Starsky's skin found his own.

When Starsky's cock touched his, Hutch gasped and thrust, feeling the underside of his erection rub against the silky hardness. He thrust again, and this time as the cocks slid against each other Hutch could feel the wiry pubic hair give way to the softer fur on Starsky's stomach.

Starsky , who had buried his head into Hutch's neck, groaned loudly at the movement, his panting breaths echoing Hutch's own. Hutch realized that both of his hands were full of ass, and that he was digging his finders into the firm muscles, astounded how soft the skin was. He released his grip just long enough to reach further down and grab more of the delicious mounds, pulling Starsky down to him as he thrust up once again.

Starsky moaned even louder now, his mouth going to work on the sensitive part of Hutch's neck. It was all he could do to move then, wanting to move his attention to the area Starsky was now licking and sucking, but unable to ignore the friction of body, cock and the soft scrotum that now moved across him rhythmically.

"Oh, damn..." He groaned out as one tingling thrust coincided with Starsky's mouth on his earlobe. It was almost too much, then, and with a growl he tried to turn them both over, needing to move and hump harder and deeper than he could with the man on top of him.

It was not a contest, and Hutch rolled them both over easily. Bracing himself on elbows at Starsky's ribs, he nudged one knee between his legs, and Starsky opened them. Hutch then settled on top of him quickly, shaking, feeling his cock drip upon the man below him.

It was the most wonderful, the most perfect place in the world for him. He took his own turn at sucking, nipping and licking at Starsky's neck, fueled on by the writhing and gasping beneath him. Spurred on by their mingled chorus of passion, Hutch spread Starsky's legs farther and pressed his throbbing, jerking cock against the one beneath him, increasing the friction.

Hutch pressed and thrust savagely then, hanging on to dear life by the bit of sensitive shoulder skin he had sucked into his mouth and now could not part with. He could feel the pressure inside his balls and pelvis build toward completion even as Starsky grew more and more vocal. He could feel Starsky's cock harden even more as it was trapped and rubbed between them, and his partner's pants and moans grew even louder in his ears.

As the friction and heat drew him toward completion, Hutch released the skin he had sucked on avidly and searched for Starsky's mouth, desperately wanting that contact. As his lips touched Starsky's cheek, Starsky gave a loud yell, instantly stiffening underneath his body, every muscle pulled taunt as Hutch felt the cock under his pulse.

The world left him then, leaving only heat, friction and an overpowering urge to meld with the body beneath him. He ground harder, thrust faster into the almost non-existent space between them, feeling the pulse of Starsky's climax and the spreading of a hot, wet warmth between them.

When it came, Hutch could only hold on to the body beneath him as if he could never, ever let go, thrusting once more as his body clenched with release. He gasped with almost painful delight as he felt his cock pulse firmly in wave after wave of release, feeling as if Starsky was dragging his soul out through his pleasure. His mind swam with the power of it, and soon all he could do was close his eyes and ride out the storm.

How long he floated with the sensation of completion he didn't know, but it took him awhile to realize that he was no longer on top of his partner. Starsky had rolled them both over at some time and they were now laying close together, Starsky's breath gently touching his face.

Opening a wary eye, Hutch look for Starsky's reaction. But Hutch was facing the light, throwing Starsky's features into shadow. While his features were relaxed, his eyes were almost hidden. Hutch wished he could see him better.

"Second thoughts?" Hutch asked quietly, watching closely.

"Nope." Hutch could see the relaxed features twist into a lazy, crooked grin. "How 'bout you?"

Hutch thought about it for a moment, tried to feel beyond the incredible peace and satisfaction he felt at the moment. He knew that after the afterglow wore off there could still be anger and discontent under the surface. Vanessa had taught him that, if nothing else. But all he felt at this moment was peace and contentment, with only a trace of doubt.

"No, I guess not." He smiled then, wishing they could just lie as they were until morning. "Not about tonight. Not with you. But..." Hutch paused, not willing to ruin the moment, but not wanting to keep his concerns hidden. This had been too good not to want it to happen again. He now had a list of things he wanted to try with Starsky when it came to sex. But he knew that they were too close for it to be more than just experimentation between them, not after the passion he had felt tonight.

"But?" Starsky nudged softly.

"What do we do now?"

"Practice some more," Starsky answered with a decisive nod of his head, his grin growing even wider in the dimness.

"No, I mean later, when _this_ gets old." Hutch reached out to run his hand along softly among Starsky's ribs, wanting to take the sting out of his words. "Someday, playing around with each other isn't going to be enough. One day, maybe tomorrow, you'll meet that special lady, and then the sex will be over. Will you regret it then?"

Starsky was quiet for a moment. Hutch kept up the caress as his partner thought it over.

"May never happen, you know." The answer didn't sound to Hutch as if Starsky was overly concerned at the idea. "She may be out there, she may not be. After Terry died, I decided not to worry so much about what might not be." He shrugged. "I'd rather enjoy myself here, and now, than worry about a future in someone's crystal ball. And what happened between us tonight, _us_ being together this way, may _never_ get old. Not if we're lucky."

"But you've always wanted a family--"

"And if I wanted one bad enough I could quit, find a safer job that pays a hell of a lot better, and find a nice girl. There are millions of them out there, or so my mom tells me. And maybe I'll do that, some day. But for right now, I am what I am, and I love who I love." Starsky moved closer then, and kissed Hutch on the lips. "And you're part of that scenario, whether you want to be or not."

Hutch felt his eyes grow misty then. "Of course I want to be, you jerk." He gave Starsky's ribs a light tickle, and saw Starsky squirm. He laughed and grabbed Hutch's hand, putting it safety between them. "But, you know that one of us could get hurt by all this. I don't want that for either of us."

"I know, and it could be me who ends up with an empty bed, if you ever run into Miss Right." Starsky gave his hand a hard squeeze. "Goes both ways, buddy. But I think I'd be so full of your happiness at your finally meeting _her_ that giving up sex wouldn't kill me."

Hutch was silent for a moment, realizing Starsky was right. He could pull scenario after scenario out for them both to confront, but in the end, it would all be conjecture anyway. Who knows if they even had a tomorrow?

"So, what do we have planned for these precious days off?" He asked, wanting to lighten the mood at bit, feeling that they didn't have much time before the day caught up with them and they both ended up nodding off.

"First, I plan on us going in and getting cleaned up. I seemed to be plastered here." Hutch watched as Starsky's hand rubbed hesitantly at his abdomen. "Then we're going to get back in bed and get some sleep, 'cause as soon as my stomach wakes me up, you're takin' me to that all-you-can-eat breakfast, your treat, like you agreed."

"And worth every penny of it, I must admit. And then what?"

"And then," Starsky said his grin growing even wider, "we're going to come back here and practice my hustler routine. Took me too damn long to get you into bed this time."

"Yeah, you're right," Hutch agreed, giving his partner a huge smile. "Guess we need to find some dark corner somewhere and see where your act can be improved."

"Yeah, you just let me catch you in some dark spot somewhere, just beyond the light, and see how long it takes me _this_ time."

Hutch yelped as Starsky suddenly sat up and reached around to smack him hard on the ass. Starsky gave a joyful laugh as he rolled quickly out of the bed and bounded toward the bathroom as if a madman were after him.

Even though he would have bet only moments ago that he lacked the energy, it took Hutch only an instant to find himself close on his heels, wondering if they would still be awake by dawn after all.

 


End file.
